PAUL SACRIFICES GAMES FOR GAMES

John Paul made what many teenagers would consider to be the ultimate sacrifice to fund his track cycling ambitions.

The 20-year-old from Lybster, Caithness, was inspired to take up the sport while watching fellow Scot Sir Chris Hoy on television during the 2004 Olympics - but had to sell his game console to fund his first bike.

A successful career has ensued with the promise of more to come and the 2011 junior world sprint and double European junior champion looks forward to representing Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

However, he recalled what it took to get him a saddle of his own in the first place.

Paul, who won a team sprint bronze in the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Mexico in February, told Press Association Sport: "I originally played football and rugby and did athletics. But when I was watching the Olympics in 2004, it just so happened I was watching the track cycling when Chris Hoy won the kilometre time trial.

"It was the first time I had ever seen a velodrome, the banking and the speed, and I thought it looked really cool.

"But to actually get my first bike, as it is a really expensive sport, my dad said I had to sell my PlayStation 2 and all my games.

"I was 13 at the time and it was difficult but I did and I never looked back.

"As soon as I got on the track I was hooked and I loved it.

"Luckily my dad was into cycling, he did a lot of road time trials and grass track when he was younger and he had a good knowledge of where to start."

Paul proved to be a fast learner and he represented Scotland at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, where he finished fourth in the men's team sprint.

This time he will be less starstruck and more confident.

"I was the youngest cyclist to go to Delhi for Scotland and it was fantastic," said Paul, who is on a two-week training programme in Belgium.

"I was 17 at the time and had to get a dispensation to ride there because the minimum age was 18.

"Being so young, it was just incredible. I felt privileged just to be there and learn from the other athletes.

"I remember being in the food hall and Rebecca Adlington was standing behind me and I thought 'wow'.

"I am four years older, with four years more training, I have developed a lot in that time. I am in a much better place."

Despite being recognised as one of the most talented youngsters in his sport, the road to Glasgow has not been smooth for Paul.

Last year he was dropped from the British Cycling Academy Programme which he admits was a "setback".

"I didn't meet the target I was set for the flying 22 metres and was consequently dropped," the City of Edinburgh rider said.

"I was progressing but not fast enough. I went home, trained hard and had a personal best off the back of my own training at home which is all that I was looking for that year.